Ever did the "taskbar clock" trick?

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

I remember quite fondly how the trial versions of several programs were set up in a way that tied them directly to your computer's clock to determine when they ran out... which made them stupidly easy to defuse by changing the system's time and date, effectively turning trials into "infinite" things (and most had all features, just on a "timer"!).

I loved messing with those that way -- made me feel like such a hacker XD

Ever did this yourself?

 

[RETRO-VETRO]

-(For people who don't know)-
Yes, the “taskbar clock” trick is a fun way to customize your Windows desktop. It usually means changing the clock in the corner of the screen to show seconds or extra time zones. In Windows 11, you can turn on seconds by going to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar Behaviors. You can also add clocks for other time zones in the Date & Time settings. In older versions like Windows 10, people used registry hacks to make these changes. It’s cool I guess, I've tried it a couple of times.

 

[Potapota]

I'm pretty sure you could do something like this to fool poor winzip into not making you wait for X amount of seconds until you can use it. Or maybe I'm thinking of something else. I definitely have done this before with something and it always seemed like an extremely silly oversight from the devs lol.
In retrospect, they must've known this is mostly just an inconvenience to give some reason for anyone capable to actually pay for the software.

 

[Miles]

I think I remember seeing a video years ago showing a trick to instantly level up your characters to level 99 in Final Fantasy Type 0. In that game you have a training mechanic, where the longer you don't play the game, the more you level up. The game uses the console's clock to determine time passed. The trick was to enter your character into training, leave the game, set your console's clock a year forward, then reenter the game.

 

[qw90700]

Hmm I remember doing it to play some Japanese games because they have region locks. Otherwise I only do it to kill "The End" on Metal Gear Solid 3 lolol.

 

[ThatOneLum]

Hmm I remember doing it to play some Japanese games because they have region locks. Otherwise I only do it to kill "The End" on Metal Gear Solid 3 lolol.

Ahh I remember this one. When I first played i struggled against him, so I ended up leaving the game alone for a while and when I came back the cutscene played and I fuckin lost it laughing

 

[Morgana Veil]

Used to do this with DVD Decrypter, I think it was called. It had a free trial from around 2004 or 2005 until 2010

 

[qw90700]

Ahh I remember this one. When I first played i struggled against him, so I ended up leaving the game alone for a while and when I came back the cutscene played and I fuckin lost it laughing

I found out about it by saving the game and start playing the game after like a week break. Then I looked for ways to kill him before the boss fight lol.

 

[Boo Man]

Hmm I remember doing it to play some Japanese games because they have region locks. Otherwise I only do it to kill "The End" on Metal Gear Solid 3 lolol.

yeah this is the only time I've done the trick, to kill The End. and i was surprised it actually worked XD
but i do remember when you could use it to cheese anti-virus software trials & stuff